Working Dogs
Working dogs play a large part in our community. Whether it's search and rescue dogs locating lost family, service dogs preventing major medical episodes for their handlers, or therapy dogs providing comfort and support to hospital patients, working dogs are everywhere in our communities. Here at K9 Pathways, we specialize in training service task trained service dogs as well as therapy dogs.
Service Dogs
Training a service dog starts from the day you get them. We teach them manners in public, boundaries when working, and how to be calm in any situation. Those being just the fundamentals, they also need to learn basic all the way up to advanced obedience as well as any tasks their handler might need. These tasks could be anything from retrieving meds on cue, alerting to an oncoming medical episode, opening and closing doors, picking up dropped items, handing a cashier money, the possibilities are endless.
At K9 Pathways, we pride ourselves in training service dogs that aren't just trained to the minimum, we train dogs that are ready and able to tackle any challenge that comes their way, with or without guidance. Their handlers are trusting their dogs with their lives, and that is not something we ever take lightly.
Therapy Dogs
Therapy dogs, like service dogs, are trained to be able to handle the stresses of life in public. They are desensitized to loud noises, medical equipment, different smells, all kinds of people, anything they might encounter while they are out working. Therapy dogs play an important role in keeping up the spirits of people who may be struggling. They frequently visit hospitals, high stress work environments, schools, and prisons.
At K9 Pathways, we have several behaviors beyond the foundational skills that we can train a therapy dog. Since their main job is to provide comfort, we can teach behaviors that provide those things. These could include snuggle, giving kisses, tricks to show off, sitting at someone's feet, or putting their paws on someone's lap who can't reach down.
It's important to note that therapy dogs must be registered with an organization. Most organizations do not provide the training, K9 Pathways provides the training so that you and your dog can be tested and certified by a therapy dog organization.